Monika Jia Rui Scherer (b. 1995 in Singapore) is a German-Singaporean photographer based in Switzerland.

Moni works with (self-)portraits, text, photo books and zines, using both digital and analog photography and performative elements. Growing up queer in a Catholic-Chinese family, Moni uses text and camera to explore the themes of intimacy, culture, gender and relational identity.

contact: info@monikajiarui.com

Education

2021-24 | MA Contemporary Arts Practice – Hochschule der Künste Bern, Switzerland

2016-19 | BA Camera Arts – Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Switzerland


Workshops

2021 «Impromptu Workshop» with Void to produce a photo book

2020 «Emotional Panorama – A Workshop On Editing As A Creative Tool with Caimi & Piccinni», PHmuseum in Bologna, Italy

2019 Nikon–NOOR Academy Masterclass with Sanne De Wilde, Bénédicte Kurzen and Pep Bonet in Vienna, Austria

2019 «(Un)Making Images Together: Photography and Collaboration» with Anthony Luvera and Vincen Beeckman, International Summer School of Photography (ISSP) in Zalenieki, Latvia

2017 Portrait Workshop with Ryan Muirhead in Glasgow, Scotland


Publications

2021 «strangers days ago», book, produced during the workshop with Void

2020 «one-way streets», zine

2019 «sunday at jonah's» & «queering national day», zines, part of the project «queer lieben»

2019 «strangers days ago», zine, produced during ISSP

2019 «we’re too young to run in circles», book, BA final project


Group Exhibitions

2022-23  «of Corse – photographs», Kulturstiftung Basel H. Geiger, Basel

2022 «borderlands» with Shannon Tomasik, QUEER IDENTITIES, 25. Pink Apple Queer Film Festival, Das Gleis, Zürich

2021 «lovers», Jugendkulturfestival, Basel

2020 «we're too young to run in circles», lila.20 queer festival, Rote Fabrik Zürich

2019 «queer lieben», TABU Kunst Festival, LangstrassenKultur Zürich

2019 «queer lieben», Lust_Art, Space Grotesk Basel

2019 «Polaroids», Jungpalett, Diesellokal Windisch

2019 «we're too young to run in circles», BA Abschlussausstellung, Messe Luzern

2018 «Ornella», Fetter Schinken, Neubad Luzern


Media

2021 publication of images of «borderlands» with Shannon Tomasik in 041 – Das Kulturmagazin × das Lamm on «Konsens»

2021 publication of images of «Jonah» in Like A Girl Magazin No. 9 on «Tabu»

2020 publication of images of «we're too young to run in circles» with an article about asexuality by The Correspondent


Funding

2021 Stadt Baden, Arbeitsstipendium Covid-19

2021 FONDS RESPECT, for the project «queer lieben»

2020 Stadt Baden, for the project «Zwischen zwei Welten»

2019 ProArgovia Kaktus, for the project «Zwischen zwei Welten»

2019 kulturdünger, for the project «queer lieben»

Using Format